Find out how popular the last name Polnitz is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Polnitz.

Polnitz, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Polnitz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Polnitz in America

Polnitz is the 114424th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Polnitz surname appeared 153 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Polnitz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Polnitz to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Polnitz

The surname Polnitz is of German origin and dates back to the 16th century. It originated from the town of Polnitz, which is located in the region of Silesia, now part of modern-day Poland. The name Polnitz itself is derived from the Slavic word "pole," meaning field or open space, indicating that the town may have been situated in an area with an abundance of fields or meadows.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Polnitz surname can be found in the German census records of 1567, where a family named Polnitz is listed as residing in the town of Breslau, which was then part of the Kingdom of Prussia. This suggests that the Polnitz family had already established itself in the region by the mid-16th century.

In the 17th century, several historical documents reference individuals with the Polnitz surname. For instance, Johann Polnitz, a renowned theologian and philosopher, was born in 1623 in Breslau and became a professor at the University of Leipzig. His work, "De Philosophia Practica," published in 1663, was widely studied and influential during that era.

Another notable figure bearing the Polnitz name was Friedrich von Polnitz, a Prussian military officer who served under Frederick the Great during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763). He was born in 1720 and played a crucial role in several battles, earning himself a reputation as a skilled tactician.

In the 19th century, the Polnitz family continued to make their mark in various fields. Theodor Polnitz, born in 1827, was a renowned German painter known for his landscapes and portraits. His works were exhibited in prestigious galleries across Europe and are still highly regarded in the art world today.

Another prominent figure from this era was Emilie Polnitz, a German writer and activist who advocated for women's rights and education. Born in 1845, she founded several organizations aimed at promoting equal opportunities for women and was a influential voice in the feminist movement of her time.

As the Polnitz family spread across Germany and other parts of Europe, the surname evolved into various spellings, such as Polnitz, Pollnitz, and Polnitzer. However, the core meaning and origin remained rooted in the town of Polnitz and its connection to the Silesian region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Polnitz

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Polnitz.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Polnitz was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Polnitz has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Polnitz was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Polnitz, please contact us.

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